Construction projects
County road/bridge construction and maintenance activities wind down for the season
Focus shifts to winter maintenance and preparing for future construction
During 2018, Hennepin County reconstructed and repaved several roads and bridges, and conducted bridge inspections, upgraded traffic signal systems, improved accessibility, expanded the bikeway network and made a number of other improvements that county road users can enjoy.
As this construction season draws to a close, we thank county residents for their investment in this work, and for their patience and being safe around work zones.
We are sharing our annual summary of work completed with you, since you have signed up to receive updates about Hennepin's county roads.
Several projects are complete
Most notably in 2018, major activities with the 66th Street (County Road 53) reconstruction in Richfield are coming to an end. The project, which has made improvements along a more than two-mile-long corridor, started with major construction last year. During two construction seasons, crews were able to complete several activities:
- Creating a new driving surface
- Removing and replacing underground utilities
- Improving stormwater management along the corridor
- Building new features for improved traffic flow, including two new roundabouts
- Improving the experience for people walking, biking and rolling
Crews will be back on site next year to complete paving, do some final restoration work and add some finishing touches.
Residents also saw work reach substantial completion on several major projects, including on 1.5 miles of Douglas Drive (County Road 102) in Golden Valley, on Pinto Drive (County roads 115 and 116) where the roadway intersects with Highway 55 in Medina, and on thePortland Avenue (County Road 35) and Cedar Avenue (County Road 152) bridges over the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis.
Several one-season projects were also completed, including:
In addition, crews completed several smaller-scale road and bridge projects across the county’s roadway system of more than 2,200 lane miles – including road repaving, restriping, sign replacement and pavement sealing projects. Crews have also been busy completing regular bridge inspection and maintenance activities.
Two projects hit major milestones
In Long Lake and Orono, all of the first phase and a major portion of second phase of the Wayzata Boulevard (County Road 112) reconstruction are being completed now. We are updating this roadway to provide a better experience for all users, as well as to reflect community needs and interests better than when the road operated as U.S. Highway 12. Project updates include a restored and improved Long Lake shoreline, new shared turn lanes to improve traffic flow, new street lighting, and new paths and features for people walking, biking and rolling.
The first stage of the Flying Cloud Drive (County Road 61) reconstruction in Eden Prairie and Chanhassen was completed late this summer. Crews were then able to get a jump-start on the second and final stage. The project is taking the former U.S. Highway 212 and improving the driving surface, increasing safety, and raising the road above the Minnesota River 100-year flood plain. When the roadway reopens to through traffic next year, there will also be a new multi-use trail along the north side of the road that will fill a gap in the trail network from Shakopee to Eden Prairie.
Partner project coordination continues
Crews from cities, transit organizations and utilities have also been working with us on county roads this season.
One of the most significant collaborations was with Metro Transit and the City of Minneapolis to reconstruct Penn Avenue (County Road 2) in North Minneapolis. Hennepin County worked with the community to redesign a seven-block segment of Penn Avenue, adding green boulevards, street lighting and safety improvements for all road users. Construction was coordinated with work for the Metro Transit C Line rapid bus, which will begin service next year.
Other important coordinated projects underway or recently completed:
With these projects, the county and partners are making improvements that tie in with local needs, local road improvements, transit service and better delivery of utilities.
The county is also a partner in MnDOT’s 35W@94 reconstruction project. We encourage residents to visit www.mndot.gov/35w94 for more information about this multi-year project that includes improved transit access and updates to Lake Street (County Road 3).
Engagement begins for future projects
The county also is or soon will be sharing concepts and gathering community feedback on these and other upcoming projects:
The benefits of these projects range from improving experiences for people walking, biking and rolling, to improving safety for drivers, to integrating road and nearby improvements with surrounding neighborhoods and communities. Look for more information about these projects and others next spring.
In the meantime, we encourage you to learn more about how we manage our county roads for winter weather – and how you can do your part – by visiting www.hennepin.us/plowing.